Credits: ABS-CBN News
Three out of the seven persons of interest in the tragic killing of beauty queen Geneva Lopez and her Israeli fiancé Yitzhak Cohen are former policemen, the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed on Monday.
“Dismissed na po yung tatlong pulis natin… Isa sa Angeles at dalawa sa NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office). They were dismissed in late 2019, 2018, sa records po natin,” PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil disclosed.
Lopez, 27, and Cohen, 37, went missing after meeting a middleman to inspect a piece of land they were interested in buying in Tarlac on June 21. Their remains were discovered at a remote quarry site over the weekend. Investigators are considering robbery as the primary motive behind the crime, Marbil stated.
“Yung motibo po practically is robbery… Baka may dalang pera po yung magkasintahan. Doon po nag-e-evolve yung kaso natin,” Marbil explained in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo.
Five of the persons of interest are currently in police custody, while two others remain at large, according to the PNP chief. Investigators believe they have gathered “enough evidence” against the seven individuals implicated in the crime, following a confession from one of them regarding their involvement in burying the couple.
“Based doon sa evidence namin, based sa testimony niya, he was not part noong pagpatay. But he was part doon po sa paglibing po ng mga tao,” Marbil noted.
Both Lopez and Cohen sustained gunshot wounds, Marbil confirmed. The couple was last seen riding an SUV, which was later found burned and abandoned in Capas on June 22.
Authorities are determined to ensure justice is served. “We will not rest until those responsible are held accountable,” Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos assured.
